{"id":267374,"date":"2020-02-12T00:02:47","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T03:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=267374"},"modified":"2020-02-12T12:01:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-12T15:01:10","slug":"sao-paulo-businesspeople-try-to-win-over-the-dubai-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/sao-paulo-businesspeople-try-to-win-over-the-dubai-market\/","title":{"rendered":"S\u00e3o Paulo businesspeople try to win over the Dubai market"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dubai \u2013 S\u00e3o Paulo-based agribusiness executives are optimistic about the potential results from an UAE mission alongside state governor Jo\u00e3o Doria. This Tuesday afternoon (11), the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce<\/strong>\u2019s international office in Dubai hosted the event \u201cAgribusiness: Strategic Brazil-UAE partnership\u201d at its Jumeirah Lake Towers headquarters. Some 60 people were in attendance, including Brazilian and Arab executives, S\u00e3o Paulo government officials and delegates from local organizations.<\/p>\n

ANBA spoke with Ricardo Erm\u00edrio de Moraes, chairman and founder of juice company Natural One<\/a>. On the market for eight years, the company is active in all Brazilian states and in 13 countries across Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East \u2013 including Qatar. \u201cWe have been in Qatar for six months, and things are working out great,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Moraes joined the mission looking to have meetings and break into new markets. \u201cI\u2019m here to do networking and to find my way into the UAE market. I have several meetings scheduled with local companies, retail operators with refrigerated solutions available, which makes it easier to fit our product in \u2013 with a yoghurt company, for instance \u2013 while retaining our brand,\u201d explained Moraes.<\/p>\n

Although the international label for the juice is written in English, Moraes said that if sales on the Arab market go up, Arabic labels can also be made available.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur product is naturally well accepted. We\u2019re an international Brazilian brand that\u2019s in a good position, and this adds value, because when it comes to exports, when you move away from the actual commodity and towards a brand, your tonne of product is worth three times as much. This creates lots of value throughout the entire chain. We are working hard in connection with S\u00e3o Paulo to make the state a sustainable, long-term platform for quality products,\u201d he said. An heir of the Votorantim conglomerate, he used to work with S\u00e3o Paulo-based company Citrosuco. The Natural One plant is located in Jarinu, S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n

Gustavo Nogueira, the commercial manager for Brazilian company Energy<\/a>, said the company ships sugar, rice, cornmeal and powdered milk to 60 countries, including Qatar and the UAE.<\/p>\n

\u201cDubai is a hub for sugar. We ship our product here. Some other nearby countries have restrictions in place. I sell 1 kg and 50 kg packs, as well as private label, third-party brands, or my own Energy brand. This is a value of ours. We\u2019re adaptable, and we have this flexibility so we can bring added value,\u201d said Nogueira.<\/p>\n

Apart from joining the mission to have meetings and do networking and business, Nogueira will also join Gulfood, the food industry show taking place next week in Dubai. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a stand at the Apex-Brasil pavilion,\u201d he said. Apex-Brasil is the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.<\/p>\n

Arab Chamber member Davi Sierra also attended the seminar. He\u2019s the New Business director with Key Trade, which exports items including juices, coffee, sugar, poultry and beef. Sierra told ANBA he\u2019s starting a new Dubai-based enterprise called IBG Trade.<\/p>\n

Seminar<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speakers at the agribusiness-oriented event featured S\u00e3o Paulo state Agriculture secretary Gustavo Junqueira, UAE Climate Change and Environment Ministry adviser Majid Sultan Al Qassimi, Glasgow Consulting director Vishal Pandey, and Prime Group of Companies managing partner Mohamed Saleh Badri.<\/p>\n

Al Qassimi discussed agribusiness and food security in the UAE and how the country is pushing to diversify its economy and address climate-related challenges by working to come up with new alternatives. He also noted that the UAE are one of the leading date-producing countries in the world.<\/p>\n

Pandey presented information on agricultural technologies and the UAE\u2019s commodities market. Badri went over halal industry opportunities in foodstuffs, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism and fashion.<\/p>\n